BEIRUT—Syria’s antigovernment rebels claimed a stunning advance into Aleppo, a major symbolic and strategic prize, in a setback for the government in Damascus and its allies Russia and Iran.Islamist-led insurgents poured into Aleppo two days after launching an unexpected strike from the country’s rebel-held northwest and eight years after the city fell to forces loyal to the government of Bashar al-Assad at the end of a long siege.

Anti-government rebels in northern Syria have launched a sudden offensive in an effort to capitalize on Israel’s efforts to weaken Iran’s regional proxies.

A rebel commander said a fall in Iran-backed manpower created an opening this week's assault. Iran's ally Hezbollah has suffered big losses to Israel.

Syria state media say government troops are battling insurgents inside the country’s largest city Aleppo for the first time since 2016

Last month, the UN special envoy for Syria warned that the wars in Gaza and Lebanon appeared to be “catalysing conflict in north-west Syria in a dangerous manner”. Geir Pedersen said HTS had carried out a significant raid into government-held areas,

Syrian rebels have reportedly breached the city of Aleppo itself, according to open source analysts and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, as thousands of insurgent fighters make startling advances in their surprise offensive against President Bashar al-Assad's regime in northwestern Syria.